Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to security and authentication of a user attempting to gain access to a resource of an electronic device, such as a mobile communications device.
Background of the Related Art
Mobile communication devices, such as telephones, are an integral part of everyday life in a modern society. Telephones that are connected to a land line are even on the decline, as people become accustomed to having a mobile phone with them at all times. The functions and features available on a mobile phone continue to expand, including apps, a web browser, a camera, full physical or virtual keypads, touchscreens, local area networking wireless connectivity and personal area network wireless connectivity, texting and email, and more.
Furthermore, a mobile communication device may store private information, such as pictures, passwords, payment information and other information that a user may not want shared. Security measures may be implemented on the mobile communication device in order to prevent others from gaining access to the private information or otherwise using the features of the device without authorization. Such security measures may include successful entry of a previously stored password or biometric input, such as facial recognition or finger print recognition. Furthermore, the strength of a password may be increased by requiring more characters and a variety of character types. For example, some security systems will require that a password include a minimum of eight characters, including at least one capital letter, one number and one special character.